JUDGE NOT: LET TONTO DIKEH BE!

I read with great distress tonight, a story by blogger Linda Ikeji in which she stated that Nollywood actress/musician Tonto Dike had attempted to commit suicide some weeks ago. She stated that the picture (shown above) was Tonto's way of sharing what happened with her fans on instagram. I read this with great distress because like many other Nigerians i have always found it easy to diss and laugh at Tonto mainly because i have been led to believe that she really doesn't care.
When i read this story tonight, i thought to myself 'Tonto is human after-all'.

I lay no claims to knowing the exact thing that may have happened to push her over the edge so much so as to attempt suicide, but i must admit that i realised tonight how tough it must be to be Tonto.

In her own way she struggles just like anyone else to be successful at what she does, she tries to lay her hands on new ventures and gives it her best shot regardless of what anyone says. Isn't that what we tell ourselves all the time? If at first you don't succeed, try again, and even when you fall pick yourself up and try yet again? Objectively speaking this is who she tries to be, that woman who sets goals and tries to achieve them regardless of what any body thinks, that woman who tries to define her brand in new ways that just do not conform to our standards of normalcy. Do this actions in any way make her less human?

It must really be tough to be Tonto Dikeh, a woman heavily criticised by fans as well as colleagues, probably largely unsupported by friends and of course majorly harrassed by disapproving family members. I can imagine her wanting to go a day without reading or hearing some negative comment about her person, while knowing that to achieve the goals she has set for herself this negativity is the cross she must bear.

How long can we go on laughing at and criticising one person just to make our days a little more interesting? How many of us can honestly say that we have achieved in our chosen fields what she has been able to achieve in hers thus far?

I have no intention of going on and on with this, i have been guilty of hating on Tonto and there's a 90% chance that you have too. All i really want you to remember is that its not in our place to judge, not yours nor mine.

Instead of speaking ill of anyone take the advice given in the bible per Phillipians 4:8 ' finally brethren, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.